Abstract
The paper explores the process of forming the system of top-level sports in the Czechoslovak armed forces during 1945–1960. Emphasis is placed on examining the postwar development of the institutional framework and the impact of sociopolitical developments on the subject matter. The army’s support for the training of top-level athletes was a logical consequence of the conditions existing during that period and the adoption of the model practiced in the Soviet Union and in all countries of the Eastern Bloc. After the Communist Party took power in February 1948, the new government redefined the significance of physical education and sports. Sports at the top and lower levels were stripped of their apolitical nature and inherent purposes, as the prospects of achieving top-level performances presented a potential for using the achievements for propaganda purposes by the communist regime. Amid the militant atmosphere of the Cold War, the Ministry of National Defense had a unique status, which facilitated the functioning of a government-controlled system of top-level sports training. The ministry had strong financial resources, and its sports program encompassed both professional soldiers and conscripts fulfilling their two-year military duty. On the one hand, universal conscription facilitated the identification of high-potential individuals, and on the other hand, material support and technical resources offered conditions unrivalled elsewhere. Moreover, the military environment did not contravene amateur regulations in effect at that time, and a person’s military status did not contradict his or her civilian ideological principles. Following a period of searching for the optimal structural framework, an organizational structure was established that relied on Dukla Military Sports Clubs, which formed the base of world-class national teams for several subsequent generations.
Highlights
Following the end of the Second World War, the needs arose to restore the supply of goods, to reconstitute public administration, and to rebuild the armed forces
Under a resolution of the Military Council attached to the Presidium of the Czechoslovak Government adopted on 5 June 1945, the management of physical education in the armed forces was assigned to the Central Administration of Education and Edification (CAEE), which was part of the Ministry of National Defense (MND)
Based on a resolution of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia adopted on 7 June 1956, the Representation Division attached to the Central Army House was disbanded, and most sports teams were relocated outside Prague to various localities where Army Sports Clubs under the name Dukla were established in the framework of the Czechoslovak Army in accordance with Directives for Mass Sports Activities
Summary
Following the end of the Second World War, the needs arose to restore the supply of goods, to reconstitute public administration, and to rebuild the armed forces. Under a resolution of the Military Council attached to the Presidium of the Czechoslovak Government adopted on 5 June 1945, the management of physical education in the armed forces was assigned to the Central Administration of Education and Edification (CAEE), which was part of the Ministry of National Defense (MND).3 Subordinate to the Chief of General Staff, the CAEE subsequently initiated the assignment of successful athletes who were undergoing conscription duty to the Prague Garrison Command, where physical education units were established.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Sport i Turystyka. Środkowoeuropejskie Czasopismo Naukowe
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
